Nothing Phone (3a) Pro

Decent telephoto for the money ; Fresh Essential Key implementation ; Design still something special

New camera module somewhat ugly ; Performance not outstanding for the money ; Sluggish camera app

The Nothing Phone (3a) Pro packs a couple of stand-out features to go with its striking design, including a dedicated telephoto camera and a new hardware button for recording your observations. Not everything is a home run, especially at its new higher...

Striking transparent and light-up design ; Long battery life ; Fast 50W charging

Limited 5G support ; Not easy to get in the US

The Nothing Phone (3a) Pro is a solid midrange Android handset with a distinctive design for less than $500, but limited 5G support and availability hold it back.

Zoom camera for much less cash than a flagship, Unique Glyph Lighting and software features, More grown-up design language

Find the Essential Key's placement problematic, Cameras aren't all consistent across lenses, Some minor stutters in performance

When you consider the Nothing Phone (3a) Pro has a massive periscope zoom camera, it's savvily positioned against the competition. Sure, it's pricier than the earlier (2a) or its less well-endowed (3a) sibling – yet with a price that undercuts...

Affordable. Good performance. Solid triple-camera system. Unique and fun design. Slick and stylish operating system. More thoughtful AI features. Reliable battery life. Three Android OS upgrades and 6 years of security updates.

You need to white-list them on AT&T and Verizon for 5G. No wireless charging. Only IP64-rated. Pro model is top-heavy. Still sold in the US via beta program.

Unique design language ; Excellent software skin ; No superfluous AI gimmicks

Water and dust rating could be improved ; Optical fingerprint sensor is a bit poky ; Essential Key feels a bit underbaked

The Nothing Phone 3a Pro is a mid-range handset with a 6.77-inch display, the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 chipset, and a uniquely designed rear triple camera design. The Nothing Phone 3a Pro is a mid-range handset with a 6.77-inch display, the Snapdragon 7s...

Great hardware design ; Excellent software ; Very good cameras ; Very good price and value

Polarizing camera module design ; Essential Space is unproven

Versatile cameras with mature processing ; Respectable mid-range performance and battery life ; Widget-filled UI is as customisable as ever

Rear camera layout will surely prove controversial ; It’s early days for the Essential Space software ; Faces stiff competition at this price

Divisive design changes aside, Phone 3a Pro is wonderfully capable mid-ranger with an interesting take on AI. The photos it takes are up there with class leaders, though the zoom lens comes at a price premium.

Eye-popping design ; Bright display ; Fast charging ; Great performance and cameras ; eSIM with dual-SIM

A bit bulky ; No wireless charging ; Essential Space button can't be customized ; Can't video record with wide-angle camera

That's to say, the Nothing Phone 3a Pro checks a lot of boxes, more than any phone in its price range, but its most unique features, from the polarizing design to the Essential key, make it just as compelling for tech enthusiasts using flagship phones....